Seed-planter



(No Model.)

L. S. FLATAU.

SEED PLANTER.

Patented Nov. 16, 1886.

N PETERS. Pllolmlilbognphcr. Washin ton. D.C

- perspective view of the machine.

UNITED -STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS S. FLATAU, OF PITTSBURG, TEXAS.

SEED-PLANTER.

QPBCIFIC'ATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 352,813 dated November 16, 1886.

I Application filed September 6, 1886. Serial No. 212,848. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.- I

Be it known that I, LOUIS S. FLATAU, of

Pittsburg, in the county of Camp and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Seed-Planters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in the class of walking planters. It is particularly adapted for sowing cotton-seed, but will also plant corn and distribute fertilizing material.

The principal feature of the invention is the construction of the seed-discharging device arranged and rotating in the bottom of the seed-hopper. The construction of the latter and the frame of the machine likewise embody novel and important features, all as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the seed-hopper-and some attached parts. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the seed-discharger, showing its parts separated. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modification of the seed-discharger.

The seed-hopper A is supported over a wheel, B, and has a rear seed-discharge spout. In front of the hopper is a furrow-opener, K, held adjustably'in an angular frame, H, and in rear of the wheel covering-teeth, which are attached to curved standards L, that extend forward and are bolted to the hopper. The handles M are bolted to the standards L and supported adj ustably by rods m.

I will now describe in detail all the parts embodying my invention, and indicate their connections with other parts not novel, but

necessary to form the complete machine.

The seed-hopper 'A is funnel-shaped. It is formed of two'parts, Fig. 2to wit, a castiron base, 1, and a sheet-metal top part, 2, the same being riveted together, as shown. The base 1 has a hollow cone, (1, which rises from its center. The skeleton seed-discharger O (which will presently be describedwith more particularity) is conical in form, and applied to the cone a so as to rotate around it. Motion is imparted to it by a vertical shaft, D, which has its respective hearings in the apex of said cone and in a horizontal cross-bar, 3, bolted to the bottom of hopperbase 1 exteriorly. ,The upper end of this shaft D is reduced and squared, and. the seed-discharger G has a corresponding aperture to receive such reduced portion. A seed-agitator, E, consisting of arms projecting obliquely upward, is provided witha screw-threaded aperture and screws on the extremity of the shaft, thus clamping the seeddischarger O at thesame time. that by this construction and combination of parts the seed discharge'r and agitator may be readily detached when required.

As shown in Fig. charger 0 consists of a horizontal toothed rim, 4, and spokes or arms 5, which radiate obliquely downward from the apertured hub or center. The rim 4 is constructed with teeth, whose function is to catch the seed and carry it around to the discharge-opening b, Fig. 1, in the rear of the hopper-base 1. This openingis a horizontal slot, and is directly over the mouth of the spout F, which conveys the seed rearward into the furrow. The said opening b is closed by a slide, 1), that is held in the required adjustment by a clamp-screw. The toothed rim 4 of the seed-discharger G is made separable from the arms 5, as shown, the latter fitting in sockets in the former. This construction enables the rim to be readilyv detached, so that another may be substituted when required. I propose, in fact, to employ different rims having a different number of teeth, according to the work to be V done, and one set of arms 5 will serve for all. of such rims. The arms alone are not capable of discharging cotton-seed in the proper manner, since they allow it to go out in lumps or bunches. This is prevented when the toothed rim 4 is used, since the teeth take up individual seeds and effect their discharge successively and separately, so that they are deposited in the furrow equidistantly. The rim 4 may be used for discharging corn; but in such case it will have a less number of teeth than shown. I prefer, however, the form of rim shown in Fig. 4 for discharging corn, the same having a series of semicircular notches. Each notch will in practice take up a single kernel of corn. The rim 4 lies in an annular space at the base of the cone (1 and rotates therein. Being loosely attached to the arms 5, it ordinarily slides on the bottom of the hopper-base 1. On each side of the latter is cast It is apparent 3, the cotton-seed disa pendent perforated lug, (I, provided with allel flanges d are cast solid with the hopperbase 1, on each side thereof. Between these flanges the front ends of standards L are secured by screws. Braces (not shown) may in practice be provided for the standards, and may extend from the hopper diagonally downward and rearward. By thus constructing the hopper-base with sockets for the frame G and standards L the cost, weight, and number of parts are reduced to a minimum. On the said axle is fixed a chain or sprocket wheel, 6. A chain, H, runs on the latter and on a corresponding wheel, 7, fixed on a horizontal shaft, I,

which has its bearings in the aforesaid pendent lugs d. y

A bevel-gear, 8, Fig. 2, is mounted on this shaft I, and meshes with acorresponding gear, 9, on the lower end of the vertical shaft D. Thus the rotation of the wheel B will impart rotation to the seed-discharger 0 through the medium of the chain H, chain-wheels 6 7, shafts I D, and their gears 8 9.

The standard of the furrow-opener K is vertically adjustable in ablock, e, bolted between the front ends of the angular frame G. One of the bolts serves to secure the standard in any adjustment. The draft-chain is attached to the upper end of said standard.

It will be noted that the rim of the wheel B is beveled, so that it makes a V-shaped track in the soil. The construction of the frame and hopper-base involves the least number of parts and lightest construction practicable for the purpose. In brief, economy of weight and cost, and durability and strength, have been kept especially in view in the construction of the machine.

What I claim is- 1. The seed-discharger consisting of an an nular rim provided with teeth, the arms or spokes standing up from it, and ahnb or central portion, to which said arms are rigidly attached, as shown and described.

2. The combination, with a vertical rotating shaft and a seed-hopper having a rear seed-discharge opening, of the seed-diseharger O, having a toothed rim arranged horizontallyin the base of the hopper, snbstantiallyas shown and described.

3. The combination, with the vertical rotat ing shaft and the seed-hopper having a seeddischarge opening and a central cone, of the conical seed-discharger consisting of radiating arms and a toothed rim, which latter is arranged in the bottom of said hopper in the space surrounding the base of the cone, as shown and described.

4. The combination, with the hopper, the cone, and vertical shaft having its upper end constructed with a polygonal and screw threaded part, of the seed-discharger 0, having a polygonal opening, and the agitator provided with a screw-threaded aperture, whereby it is adapted to be screwed on the shaft, as specified, for the purpose set forth.

5. The cast-metal hopper-base 1, having the horizontal parallel flanges d and the pendent perforated lugs d, arranged and adapted for attachment of the standards and frame, respectively, as shown and described.

6. The seed-discharger 0, formed of arms 5 and a rim, 4., which is made separate and detachable from said arms. as shown and described.

7. The combination, with the hopper, furrow-opener, and wheel B, of the right angnlar frame arranged with its arms respectively vertical and horizontal, said furrow-opener and wheel being arranged, respectively,at the front and angle of said frame, as shown and described.

L. S. FLATAU.

Witnesses:

SoLoN C. KnMoN, AMOS W. HART. 

